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Why do You eat Some cooked food?

chriscarltonchriscarlton Raw Newbie

I am working on an article about eating high raw diets and I would love get some input from those who have decided to be mostly raw, but not 100%. I am looking to find out your reasoning/logic in this decision.

So here is my question…

If the premise of Raw Food is that, ‘food eaten Raw is better for us than cooked food’ then what is the reason for eating ‘some’ cooked food? (5%, 20%, 40% whatever)

Is it…

1… I just can’t live without my old favorite BLANK?

2… I like cooked food and I don’t have to give it up completely to be healthy?

3… 80% raw keeps me so healthy that I can eat cooked food and still be ok?

4… I’m afraid that without some cooked food I won’t get enough BLANK ?

5… Making all my own food is too time consuming and not convenient?

6… Raw Food is really not that much better than cooked food so it doesn’t matter?

7… Raw Food only is more nutritious. Cooked food is not bad for our health?

8… I need the warmth, comfort or feeling of fullness that only cooked food can offer?

9… Insert you own answer here…

Of course I am not talking about those who are in a transition period. I am asking those who have settled in to a diet of mostly raw, yet some cooked food and have decided to stay at that level.

I am really trying to get a handle on the logic behind mostly raw/some cooked. Any input anyone has would be great.

Lovebows, Chris

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Comments

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    I think I have three answers (at least), and maybe others at different times:

    5 – When I was super sick, just out of the hospital, I chose to eat Manna bread because I was missing grains and didn’t have the energy/time to make my own raw sprouted breads. I have made a couple of other sacrifices like that when super busy or not home for extended periods, but they ARE sacrifices.

    Money – I bought 200 pounds of cashews last year because I was using them all the time and they were INCREDIBLY CHEAP! I feel better now about eating all raw, but I also have hardly any money for food this summer, so this is another sacrifice – to use cashews to “fill in.”

    The last reason, and probably the main one, for me, is that I didn’t realize I was still transitioning. I just felt really good each step along the way, and I thought I chose to eat cashews (even without the money issue) or other things because it worked for me. So, I guess I’m technically not the person to give you the answers you need, since I’m still in transition, but that’s part of the process, so it may be interesting for you to put in your article – I started eating what my body wanted, never intending to go back to raw, because I had tried it briefly once before & it was too time consuming & I got weak from cleansing too fast.

    I’m interested to hear people’s responses, too!

  • amysueamysue Raw Newbie

    Hey Chris, very interesting question. My answer would be in the 1, 2 or 3 area. For me it’s about balance, and right now eating 1 or 2 cooked items a week gives me that balance. Not nutrition-wise, but with my lifestyle and my marriage. My husband eats two raw meals a day since I’m the food preparation person at home, and he’s happy to do that, but occasionally he likes to go somewhere to eat where raw is not available so I am happy to go with him and have something cooked, like a bagel for Father’s Day so that he doesn’t have to eat by himself since there is nothing raw at the bagel restaurant. Right now this is a happy compromise for both of us. I tend to really enjoy that one cooked item or meal since it’s so rare and he enjoys the health benefits he gets from eating mostly raw.

  • Interesting question! I would have to say that I am very high raw, but occasionally I will eat a small amount of cooked food. But whatever it is, it is still considered extremely healthy on most peoples standards. So I guess I sort of fall under the category of number 7-only I would change it a bit to say that an occational cooked item is not going to hurt as long as your diet is almost all raw because RAW IS THE BEST!!! Also, I try to keep my diet at 99.9% raw. I feel that no one is perfect so by giving myself a little wiggle room I am more likely to stay raw.

  • skizzyskizzy Raw Newbie

    i am actually not eating raw at the moment because i am working an extremely busy schedule and have not had time to even do groceries, let alone prepare any food. i fully intend to return to raw as soon as my schedule settles down. so i’d say that #5 is a major factor right now.

    when i am not so busy, i tend to eat about 80% raw. frankly, i believe that cooked food is not BAD, but rather that raw food is BETTER.

    there are certain cooked foods that i have incorporated into my otherwise raw diet. i have not been able to find a raw bread recipe that i like, and flax crackers are kind of gross, so i eat gluten-free bread and organic corn chips without a second thought. i do think that healthy cooked food is better than a nut-heavy raw dish.

    now, in the winter i have to go with #8. raw in the winter was hell for me. all that cold food that did little to fill me up, combined with the fact that there is not a lot of variety in plant-based food in my area in the winter, made it a necessary decision to go back to nice warm heavy cooked food for the time.

    all in all i think i can point to all of your reasons listed, except for #4 and #6.

  • Hi, I am RAW at 90% and I would have to choose option 9. Here is my answer.

    Switching from a traditional SAD diet to a RAW is no simple task, let

  • kandacekandace Raw Newbie

    For me, eating 100% raw has not been a goal. I don’t see raw foods as a logical step towards 100% (being on or off of a wagon). Instead, I enjoy incorporating delicious raw food into my diet because I enjoy the taste and feel fantastic eating raw food. Since incorporating raw foods into my diet, I have loved what raw foods has done for my life and feel happy, balanced and satisfied! I eat healthier than ever before and feel absolutely fantastic; I’ve never been so healthy in all of my life.

    All this and cooked food, too! Yes, it is true (although I eat much, much less cooked foods than I ever did in the past). And, I cut out fried food, meats, milk, eggs and wheat long before raw foods.

    So, a few reasons I personally have for cooking:

    • Local eating. The environment means a lot to me, as does my place within it. I won’t spend the winter eating coconuts flown in from halfway around the world. Rather, I’ll focus on what I can get fresh and local. This changes with the seasons and often dictates food choices.
    • Taste. A lime drop here, a home made winter soup there. Green tea, lightly steamed vegies, brown rice. You get the picture – I enjoy some cooked foods.
    • Social. I adore eating out with friends and supporting restaurants owned by friends and look forward to family gatherings (where everyone is happy to make vegan delicacies for us).
    • Travel. I am a taste tourist, loving to enjoy local fare when visiting new cultures. I’ll change my mental rules, say, when I am honeymooning in France or traveling Japan.
    • Dogmatism. I have found that my mental state of mind suffers whenever I try to be dogmatic about eating (or religion or politics or any other aspect of my life). It isn’t part of my personality. Rather, I look at each meal as a time to make the best choice for me when and where I am at that time.

    I’ll be the first to admit that I’m quite a bit newer to raw foods than many of the folks on this board – that is much of what makes Gone Raw such a fabulous resource for me. I’m happy with my diet, thrilled with the raw foods I do eat (love making new recipes) and enjoy my diet as a whole. I’m absolutely not opposed to changing this naturally. Not at all. The more recipes I find here on Gone Raw, the more reasons I have for choosing raw at particular meals and the more I find myself eating raw without actually thinking about it.

    BTW - I have to say how very much I appreciate you, Chris (and Zoe and others) for being strong voices about eating 100% raw. The ability to have different views on raw foods represented is what, I think, makes Gone Raw such a strong and vibrant community. So, thank you.

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    although i eat 100% raw now initially i transitioned with some non-raw items because i was using them up. so it was to not be wasteful.

    i am mainly answer for my husband, who is #4 and #7. he’s afraid that all raw he will not get enough CALORIES ( he has a very fast metabolism and has struggled with being too thin in the past) and also he does not seem to think “healthy” cooked food like quinoa and sweet potato and cooked greens are bad for him. he may still be in the transition period. he has lost some weight and is still at a healthy weight just being much more raw than before and not eating crappy vegan junk food. also i have to prepare a lot of special things that are raw for him even though so enjoy them myself. (like raw pies, buckwheaties, onion bread)

    better go he’s about to look over my shoulder!

  • MarichiesaMarichiesa Raw Newbie

    Candace’s post pretty much summed it up for me too. One other thing I might add is that while most of the time the simple pure flavors of raw foods are ideal once in a while I want to taste the explosion of certain flavors than can only be savored in a cooked dish ( for me its tomatoes and basil or a curry). Its always a conscious choice to indulge in this experience. I paint and I kind of equate it to painting with casein paints ( non-toxic) which I do most the time but then once in a while I switch to oil( toxic) because only oil paint can give me the texture and finish that I am aiming for in a piece.

  • I eat about 75%-80% raw… I strongly agree with what Kandance had to say about dogmatism. I am always trying to do what’s best for my health and the environment, but i also allow myself mistakes or allowances without beating myself up about it. :)

    ALSO

    1. i really like explore different kinds of food… some of which are cooked. i also don’t believe all cooked food is “bad”.

    2. the social aspect is extremely difficult. i do eat raw most of the time when i’m eating out or at someone else’s house, but sometimes it’s not that easy. quite frankly, i just don’t always want to have to stress about what i’m going to eat when i go here or here. if there is a raw option or a way to make something raw, i choose it… sometimes it’s just not practical for me.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    Chris – great post! I know I fall into the category of ‘transition to all raw’, but I figured this input is helpful anyway.

    My challenge in going all raw lies in #5 Making all my own food is too time consuming and not convenient.

    I’m trying to eat 100% raw, but at times I slip up – with non raw nuts and non raw salad dressings. My problem is planning and convenience – if I don’t plan ahead and bring nuts, raw oil, etc while traveling, then i purchase non raw nuts and bottled dressing. I also can’t get access to organic grapes and cranberries during winter/spring – so i’ve eaten high-temp dried fruit on occasion. I need to plan ahead, and purchase these foods when available, dehydrate them, and the problem will be solved.

    I’d like to thank Chris and Zoe for being the voice of 100% raw – without you, I never would have tried to eat all raw, which brings me the best health and peace. Thanks!!

    Honestly, once I committed to eating all raw, problems 1-8 (except #5) disappeared! These things were no longer an issue once I jumped into the all raw world.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Boy it is really a couple of things on that list.

    some of #1 – until a REALLY good raw bread is made I still will have some cooked bread once and a while (although I HAVE really significantly cut it down!). Bread is my main problem going raw.

    some of #2 and #7- I guess I don’t believe that ALL cooked things are bad for you – it is more the quality of what you eat rather than what it is for some things. So I allow myself the enjoyment of the “best” quality cooked things I like (organic, not processed).

    some of #5 – Hopefully this will change some days but I will sometimes buy some cooked chips instead of making raw ones because of the time issue and if it is hot I don’t want to run the dehydrator. (my bf is working on a dehydrator that will change all that – so one day that won’t be an issue! Yah!)

    some of #8 – I have a hard time with bread and warm soups. Honeslty, unless I go out to eat, those are the main things I still ate that are cooked.

    My number 9 would be cost of raw foods – Sometimes buying those raw foods can be pretty costly and I am not just talking about the superfoods I buy but buying the ingredients to make raw chips can cost more than buying the bag of cooked chips at the store.

    I can also tell which ones I don’t not agree with which is 5 and 6 – those really never enter my head. I know I can get all I need with a raw diet and I know it is better than eating an all cooked one – so it does matter. Although, I still don’t believe you will kill yourself by eating some cooked now and then – I believe it more of the quality of the cooked foods we eat that are a really a problem or not. If you eat crappy fast food all the time, yeah, your healthy is going to suffer.. If you eat a moslty raw diet and have some healthy organic cooked vegan things everyonce and a while you aren’t as bad off and you probably won’t be suffering. Individual health falls in there too. And it is just working on our obstacles

    I hope I helped with the article! :)

  • elizabethhelizabethh Raw Newbie

    I believe that since most modern humans are not constantly active like we would be in the wild, its detrimental to eat huge amounts of fruit like many do and have our blood sugar levels go haywire. I eat mostly raw food, anywhere from 80-100% on any given day, but I do incorporate some lightly steamed veggies and gluten free cooked grains as dinner a few times a week. I find I feel much better incorporating these foods, as I do not do well on mostly sweet fruit! I do not eat anything fried, cooked in fat, hydrogenated, refined, etc. Only completely whole gluten free grains in small amounts and VERY lightly steamed veggies. Occasionally I will also incorporate cooked legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and white beans. I also do not eat any cook anything in oil. I will boil grains, steam veggies, and steam legumes that have been pre-sprouted.

  • I don’t know if i could put my response into any of those bins, but i’ll give it to you anyways. I tend to swing from a diet of about 50% raw to 95% raw depending on my social engagements for the week, my work load and how my body is feeling. i know i feel best at 95% raw but sometimes when i’m stuck at work at the end of a 60 hour week a frozen container of homemade lentil stew is a million times better than potato chips or whatever else i might grab from around the office. i am 99% gluten free (sometimes i slip when i’m stressed and then pay dearly afterwards) so i always put more emphasis on staying gluten free and vegan than on staying raw. i am definitely still transitioning, i’ve only been working with eating raw for about 10 months, and my goal would be to be 90% raw all the time. i don’t see myself giving up tamari, miso, or cashews just because i use them so much in recipes.

    the way i see it, i eat more fruit and veggies than 95% of people just in my daily green smoothie, so as long as i strive to eat as much whole food as i can, and as long as i acknowledge that i’m still working to make my body feel better, then i’m on the right track.

  • Chris – -I don’t have time to fully post right now, but just want to thank you for this thread. It will be interesting to read (as well as be fun to evaluate myself when I do write more). TTFN!

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    Chris~ I just can’t imagine, at my age (61) and after all the health problems that I have resolved, ever eating cooked again… I have been amazed when reading some of the forums where people talk about how BAD they feel after a week-end or meal or etc of eating with their SAD friends… Must be a young thing that I just don’t get… If I had known 30-40 years ago about eating raw and all the benefits… WOW, my life would have been soooooo different!!! Good luck with your research for your article!!!

  • MeditatingMeditating Raw Newbie

    Kandace really did a good job explaining what goes through our heads when we move over to cooked foods occasionally. For me, it is usually 1. Wanting to socialize with others over food where there are few or no raw options; 2. Not having the time to prepare raw food and can’t find raw options; and 3. I suspect the price of healthy, raw food could one day be a factor.

    WATERBABY - I haven’t seen much from you lately and have been wondering how you were doing. Good to hear from you.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    waterbaby – interesting point about starting to eat raw food at a young age. my raw food friend who’s your age was wondering the same thing recently. she has been eating mostly raw for 20 years, but she speculated what it would be like to eat exclusively raw from my age on (23 years old). i guess i’ll be an experiment – but it will be hard to know what illnesses i avoided! cancer and heart disease are my top motivations for staying raw. and i guess if i stay skinny while 70% of the population is overweight, then it’ll show that raw works. i like to stay normal weight and have good muscle mass so i can participate in my favorite activities – all outdoors. i expect that raw will continue to give me the energy boost i’ve experienced so far.

    meditating – the price of food could continue to rise to outrageous levels. i plan to do permaculture within 3 years, to get off the grid and be unaffected by high energy prices.

  • anngoingrawanngoingraw Raw Newbie

    waterbaby1234567 – I’m one of those who talk about how bad they feel… and because of that your post is very helpful and enlightening!!

  • KhaasLadkiKhaasLadki Raw Newbie

    My reasons are probably numbers: 2, 3, and 9. My #9 answer is I believe that some foods need to be cooked occasionally, like onions, garlic, broccoli; because although it does destroy some of their nutrients, it also makes others (like lutein) more available and easier for your body to access. But I do believe that you should cook them briefly and gently most of the time… no microwaving (kills 98% of broccoli’s antioxidants!), no boiling, just steaming or stir frying type of things mostly.

    Also I agree with Kandace’s post 100%, and I have done very similar things. I cut out fried foods, meats, milk products (minus some kefir or raw yogurt), and eggs a while ago, and this combined with mostly raw eating keeps me feeling great and healthy – with some cooked foods bothering me more than others(if I eat any enriched flours or sugar I get nauseous, for one). I pretty much make my own everything such as breads etc – so I don’t get any processed junk if I do eat it cooked. I just eat VERY healthy when I eat cooked (everyone thinks I eat too healthy… but I guess it’s the raw influence on me). I do find, however, that the more raw recipes I find, the more raw I eat without having to think about it!

    I just don’t think it has to be like a religion or anything – it’s just a way to eat and you can morph it however you like! Eat all raw one day, some raw the next, and none the next, if you want. You shouldn’t feel ‘guilty’ if you eat something cooked – although it may make you feel sick! haha.

  • omshantiomshanti Raw Newbie

    Chris, always so thought provoking…I agree with so much that is written here. But my bottom line is food makes me happy! I love to taste it, create it with it, share it, experience it, play with it…;0) So anything that tarnishes my fun with food because its to, restricting, linear,dogmatic….is a bummer. I feel great, i am enjoying my journey with raw foods, and if i stop on the raw freeway to get some vegitable sushi and the wrapper is toasted well so be it…lifes to short to sweat the small stuff and as i keep telling myself, its all small stuff!

  • My reasons are mostly 1) and 5). There is an Indian Food restaurant which makes a dish (eggplant hashmet) that I just love, and every once in a long while I go there and order it. It comes with cooked rice pulao, but the eggplant is steamed and the tomato on top is fresh.

    At times I haven’t had a lot of time for preparation when hungry, so I’ve steamed an available veggie (like broccoli) and tossed it with walnuts. Sometimes I don’t yet know how to prepare a food so that it tastes good – like quinoa. I really like it cooked, but it’s a different flavor sprouted. So until I’ve learned how to use it in raw recipes, I’ve been cooking it (but sloooooowly, by leaving it to fluff up in water that I heated and then turned off).

    I also allow myself to try out at least a bite of something I really like, like a chocolate cookie or cake. Usually a bite or taste of something is enough to satisfy a craving or curiosity. Before I regret it later.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    I also eat what gives me the most nutrients, most efficiently, or what my body wants most. Some cooked things have more of certain nutrients than any raw food source, so I might eat, say, Edamame for choline because I would have to eat 10 times as much if I were trying to get the choline from cauliflower. Also, like omshanti said, I enjoy food! I feel great when I get what my body needs – even if some of it comes from cooked food – and I don’t feel so great when I don’t – even if I am eating all raw. So far (3 years), I have not been able to get everything I need from a diet of 100% raw plant foods long term (and yes, I’ve used superfoods – or not, gone without non-raw nuts & nama shoyu, etc., eaten lots of greens, fruits, veggies, grains, etc.), so that is a big reason for me. I’m doing what’s best for my body & my health, and I’m having fun along the way :) I also use muscle response testing to help me figure out what is best, and I don’t test needing to eat 100% raw for optimum health. That may change; I can’t tell. As I said before, for me, it isn’t and hasn’t been about a percentage, or about a goal to “go raw” – it is about health, and I’m still pursuing that – even better when I remember that goal and get away from the goal of 100%, or any . For me, eating raw isn’t the key. The key is eating what my body wants x%x needs, and for me, that is primarily raw plant foods, so that’s why I’m here. Someone else may be different; this is just me.

  • angie207angie207 Raw Master

    I also eat what gives me the most nutrients, most efficiently, or what my body wants most. Some cooked things have more of certain nutrients than any raw food source, so I might eat, say, Edamame for choline because I would have to eat 10 times as much if I were trying to get the choline from cauliflower. Also, like omshanti said, I enjoy food! I feel great when I get what my body needs – even if some of it comes from cooked food – and I don’t feel so great when I don’t – even if I am eating all raw. So far (3 years), I have not been able to get everything I need from a diet of 100% raw plant foods long term (and yes, I’ve used superfoods – or not, gone without non-raw nuts & nama shoyu, etc., eaten lots of greens, fruits, veggies, grains, etc.), so that is a big reason for me. I’m doing what’s best for my body & my health, and I’m having fun along the way :) I also use muscle response testing to help me figure out what is best, and I don’t test needing to eat 100% raw for optimum health. That may change; I can’t tell. As I said before, for me, it isn’t and hasn’t been about a percentage, or about a goal to “go raw” – it is about health, and I’m still pursuing that – even better when I remember that goal and get away from the goal of 100%, or any . For me, eating raw isn’t the key. The key is eating what my body wants x%x needs, and for me, that is primarily raw plant foods, so that’s why I’m here. Someone else may be different; this is just me.

  • I was having a similar conversation with a friend not too long ago. I found his answer rather interesting. He treats cooked food how I used to treat alcohol.

    “I read a book about rawfood when I was 24 and it made so much sense to me that I tried it. The first 10 months I was 100% raw and then I had some cooked food at times. I still do… only if I am around Durian or Chempedak I do not want to eat any cooked stuff. Now that I work in a city, I want to numb myself a little and socialize.”

  • lzhptlzhpt Raw Newbie

    For me personally, I want something dry sometimes—like a plain rice cake or popcorn. The raw crackers are really way too heavy for me. I seem to be after the “plainness” of this craving. Plain brown rice or steel cut oats, though I rarely eat them, would also satisfy this craving. What is most interesting about this craving is that I will almost always get it after an evening where wine was consumed and also pre-menstrually. I still drink a small amount of cold-brew coffee. I just like it and i don’t notice that it affects me negatively like I do with some cooked foods. I also enjoy a good quality dark chocolate from time to time without negative effect. I’m guessing if I quit the alcohol, the cravings for cooked plain carbohydrate would cease. Having wine socially is something I’m just not willing to give up yet. Chris, I’m curious about this as well and maybe Zoe can shed some light on these pre-menstrual cooked food cravings.

  • kminty3kminty3 Raw Newbie

    I’m with Izhpt on the dryness thing.. I also like some plain cooked carbs because of that. But mostly my reason for eating cooked dinners a couple times of week is to eat with my spouse. I have no problem eating raw while solo, and while on vacation with a raw friend I maintained raw with no issue, but eating with my non raw vegetarian husband a few times a week is important. I always make a raw element like a salad, but he generally isn’t into all raw meals and he likes to cook. He’ll cook vegan for me though and I notice I feel fine if I limit it to 2-3 times a week. Mostly on weekends. I figure I don’t do wine anymore, coffee, and most of those pseudo raw things so a cooked rice pasta or rice a few times a week is not too bad. Maybe some day it will really bother me but I’m not there yet.

  • CarmentinaCarmentina Raw Newbie

    My main reasons for not eating 100% are social, not wanting to get obsessed, loving trying different foods, cuz my Italian mother-in-law would kill me, cuz I just learned how to make whole wheat sourdough bread from scratch (but I only ate one slice), I love baking for dinner guests, I love entertaining, I love eating local foods while traveling…that about sums it up! During the week I’m really good, close to 100%, but the weekend I’m a bad girl!!

  • lzhptlzhpt Raw Newbie

    Joyce—don’t you think that’s just it? If there was no SAD food in the house, I wouldn’t eat it. If I didn’t socialize with the network of friends that I do, I’d likely not drink either. The biggest issue I struggle with right now is eating popcorn (see back on track post) even though I know it gives me a low grade headache and puts me to sleep. So Chris—why WOULD I make that choice? I’m sure 2 years and some months later, I still have food addictions. I can only stay 100% raw if there are none of my addictive foods in the house (a rare occurance with 5 of us here). Thank’s again for a great post and to all for keeping me “on track”.

  • I agree with what angie said about doing whats right for my health, raw or cooked. I was very high raw for a few months and never felt as consistantly good, physically and mentally, as I have over the past couple of weeks when I have introduced some healthy cooked foods back into my diet. I don't think cooked foods are all bad, it seems amongst raw food circles that everything cooked gets lumped into the same category but there is a huge difference between a plate of brown rice and some steamed veggies and a mcdonalds! I eat all vegan, no wheat, don't fry food or eat any cooked fats...I basically avoid all the 'baddies' and make almost everything I eat from scratch (I have some tamari and miso but but generally don't buy in pre prepared foods...oh and i also bought some rice noodles i wasn't sure if they were too 'processed' or not but they actually do nothing for me at all which made me realise i can't just be having some kind of junky-cooked food craving thing going on since its really just whole ingredients i find myself feeling better on, like rice and millet).

    Also variety, since I introduced some cooked foods back into my diet I suddenly thought to myself why do I have to restrict myself to being all raw, or all cooked, or whatever % raw? My diet is already restricted compared to most of the population but being able to make myself all the yummy raw recipes and loads of healthy cooked ones, it doubles the amount of foods out there I can eat, making it much more interesting and fun.

    When I was high raw I was eating less organic foods due to price and availability. Now I would say I'm eating about 80% organic at least because I can afford to get things like organic rice, and local organic veg like potatoes and cauliflowers that I wouldn't have been able to digest raw (I find it hard to digest a lot of raw veggies which is one of the reasons I came back to eating some cooked). I think my feeling of wellbeing I've got now has a lot to do with eating more organic. I think organic cooked is potentially a lot better than pesticide covered raw.

    And nutrition/variety, particularly because I find a lot of raw veg hard to digest, by cooking some I am eating things I would never have eaten raw, so even if 99% of its nutrients are lost in cooking thats still 1% more than I would have got from not eating it, and it adds a lot to my diet.

    I guess social too, but to be honest there are so few places around here where you can get anything vegan, let alone made using only ingredients and cooked in a way I will it, it doesn't really make much difference. I could be eating 100% cooked vegan junk food and still be ordering a plain salad whenever I ate out!

  • I think for me it has a lot to do with lifestyle. I live with my parents right now who eat cooked, so there is always cooked food around and all of my friends eat SAD. Also, I love going out to eat and trying new things and sometimes I want to try something on the menu that is cooked. I also don't believe that things like green tea and brown rice are really going to cause problems in my life. I'm not a very extreme person, I don't like having a strongly regimented strict diet. I like having a little wiggle room, it makes me not obsess about everything eat. Its nice to know I eat what I want, when I want it. I also don't like being labeled, probably because I don't like the extremes. Definitely taste too, I enjoy many days in a row all raw and then all of a sudden I have a major craving for a cooked flavor that I love, I see nothing wrong in a bit of indulgence sometimes.

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